Device for adjusting tire-chains.



APPLICATION FILED DBU. 9, 1912.

' .Patented June 24, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. W. E. WOODWELL.

DEVICE EOE ADJUSTING TIRE CHAINS.

APIELIOATION FILED DBO. 9, 1912.

Patented June 24, 1913.

Z SHEETS-*SHEET 2.

INVENTOR s E s s E N u w oNrrnD sra'rns rArnNr ormoni.

. WILLIAM E. WOODWELL, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA', ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH T0 JOHN K. WOODWELL, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING TIRE-CHAINS.

Patented June 24, 1913.

Application led December 9, 1912. Serial No. 735,627.

To all ach-mn, it' may concer-u Be 1t known that l, WILLIAM E. ToonwnLr., a citizen of the United' States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Alle-v gheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new andj'useful Improvements in aDevice for Adjusting Tire-Chains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a device for facilitating the application of non-skid chains to the tires of automobiles, and consists of a metallic clamping device having a resilient loop portion for engagement around the wheel, provided with gripping portions adapted to 'seat in the annular recesses at the side of the tire in holding engagement therewith, and provided with ,projecting terminals having hooks for attachment of the ends of the chain.

The device is adapted for easy application and removal. tov and from the wheel, whereby the ends of the chain may betempor'arily attached to the terminal hooks, the chain following the wheel, as it revolves, around the tread of the' tire until it is completely encircled, .whereupon `the ends of the chain are connected, and the adjusting device removed.

rlhe invention is capable of embodiment in' various different forms, embodying a resilient loop, adapting it to application from either side of the wheel, 2'. e. with the loop embracing either the inner felly or the outer tire, as may be preferred.

Preferred forms of the device are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the application of the device to a wheel, and the" operation of applying the chain. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the wheel revolved sufficient-ly tn Vbring the ends of the chain together. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail' view taken on the line III. IH. of Fig. 1,- and illustrating the dej vice as applied. Fig. 4 is a perspective detail .view of the device shown in Fig. 3.

construction adapted to embrace the tire bv its resilient loop. Fig; 10 is a view of the device in side elevation. Fig. 11 is aperspective detail view showing a further modified form made of sheetmetal having punched out hooks.

The device consists generally of a resilient holder for one end of the tread chain, adapted to be temporarily applied to the wheel of the vehicle to carry the chain around it, and then removed after the ends of the chain have been connected or brought together to position for being connected.

In the operation of applying the chain 2 to the wheel 3, the adjusting device A is clamped around the rim of the wheel,'em bracing its sides in the mannershown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In the form of the device illustrated in these figures, the adjuster is made of a single continuons piece of wire of the necessary size to provide ample strength and suiiicient resilience, and is formed into a central loop 4 having the sides 5, 5, bent abruptly inwardly at the points 6, and then extended along to form substantially parallel side gripping members 7, 7, which snugly embrace the,- upper sides of the rim and tire, and fit into the annular channels at the base of the usual pneumatic tire. At their other ends, the members 7 are deiiected upwardlyat the points 8 and curved or bent outwardly, as indicated at 9, for making embracing contact withthe sides of the tire. These upwardly projecting portions are then bent outwardly or backwardly, forming hooked terminals 10, 10, for attachment of the terminal links of thetraction chain 2, aswill be readily understood.

The purpose of the loop '4. which in the forms shown, is made considerably larger than the wheel rim, is to provide ample gripping by the' portions 7 and 9, to insure positive holding of the adjuster in place during the operation.

The vterminal links of the chain having been hooked over the terminals 10, the automobile is caused to travel slowly a distance suiiicient to effect the necessary revolution of the wheel, the chain being gradually drawn around it, Htting itself to position, and bringing the terminal ends of the chain into close proximity so that they may be connected in the usual manner. The adwardly and backwardly at an angle andy terminate in backwardly bent terminals av /for attachment of the chains in the manner v 15 described. The side gripping members 7 are adapted to grip against the sides of the tire in the same manner as above described.

The construction shown in Fig. 6 is substantially the same as that of Fig. 5, except that the side shank members 7b are v provided with voutwardly projecting finger loops 12, whereby the device may be grasped and drawn apart, the other parts being snnilarly numbered with the exponent b. Fig. 6. also shows the resilient loop bent back in dotted lines in' the samegeneral direction as the side arm gripping members 7b, as indicated at a, Fig. 1, whereby to lie up underneath the wheel felly and provide a resisting bearing. This arrangement also `results in economy of space, facilitating packing or storage of the device.

Fig. 7 shows another constructioncut out A of sheet metal, having the resilient loop por tion 4 formedwith the spring metal sides 5F, extended gripping arms having hook terminals 10, and longitudinally disposed gripping and bracing portions 7c adapted to lie along the annular channels between o the edges of thewheel rim and the tire sides.

y ,In Fig. 8, I show a further modiied construction in which the resilient looped porv. tion 4d is adapted to embrace the wheel rim and felly, the sides 5d having coiled portionsV 7 d arranged to aline with the channel at each side of the wheel at the base of the tire, in the same manner as do the portions 7 of the :construction firstV described. The sides of the device are extended upwardly above the coils 7d, as indicated at 9d, terminating in backwardly bent or curved hook terminals v 10", adapted to receive the endmost links of the chain. By this construction, the device is maintained in place by the spring action of the'sides 5i and the'engagement of the coils 7d fittin'v snugly in the channels, thev loop 4d' being raced by its resisting engagement against the under side of the rim ory `felly. This construction is somewhat more compact, While having the. same holding advantages.

In Figs. 9 and 10, I show a further modi-A ed construction adapted to embrace around ltheouterrrside or tread of the tire by the loopedl portion TYP, adapted t t 'the tire In this form "finade may be clamped around the tire, em-

'.tween the base of the tire and the rim. Also Esnugly and to'lie closely against the body portion inthe manner shown. In this con` struction the sides 5 converge toward each. other by the bent portions or Fshoulders 6e which are extended along'for a short distance, as at 7e, and then bent upwardly as at 8e, forming arms 9e having terminal hooks 10c vfor attachment of the chains. yIt will be readily Iseen that the holding device as thus bracing it snugly, the looped portion, by itsA bearing upon the tire, resisting any 'strain or pull ofthe chain, and that the side griplping portions may be shaped inany suitable manner to provide for engagement and form the terminal hooks 10e for the chain, which extend somewhat outwardly beyond the tire surface, as indicated in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 11, I show another form similar to that of Figs. 9 and 10, but made of sheet metal formed into an embracing ring having a looped portion 4f and sides 5f having terminal gripping portions 7', preferably reinforcedby doubling the metal upon itself, and adapted to fit snugly within the annular channels of the tire. The ,sides 51.' are punched out, as indicated at 12f, providing projecting hooks 10t of any suitable form, for connection with the terminaly links of the chain. As shown, these hooks are capable of being used at eitherside, so as to facilitate use of the device in either direction.

The advantages of the constructions illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are that, they fit snugly around the tire, may be 'run over in revolving the wheel withoutv injury, are easily and quicklyput on orl taken off, and are small and compactin form.

It will be readily understood that the de -vice may be changed or varied in different ways as to form or design by the skilled mechanic, but that, in order to secure eficient results, the device must be of a form having suiicient resiliency and gripping action to hold it xedly upon the wheel andin engagement with the tlre by side pressure into the annularchannels at each side bethat the chain-retaining hook terminals shall be so located as to receive and hold the chain links,and to clear the surface of the ground in travelin over it. y Havingjdescribe my invention, what I claim is: f

1. A device for adjusting tire chainsto automobile Wheels consisting of an embracing resilient loop having inwardly deflected binding shoulders and projecting chain attaching hooks. l

2'. Av hain .adjuster for automobile wheels formed ofa continuous metallic body portion having a middle loo formed by embracing sides provided .w1th inwardly extending shouldered `portions.adapted to en- 130 AI l gage the annular channels at opposite sides of the wheel and having projecting hook portions adapted to engage the chain links.

3. A chain adjuster for automobile Wheels formed of a continuous metallic body portion having a middle loop formed by embracing sides provided with inwardly extending shouldered portions adapted to engage the vannular channels at opposite sides of the wheel and having terminal projecting hook port-ionsl adapted to engage the. chain links.

4. A chain adjuster for automobile wheels formed ot a continuous wire bod)7 portion bent to provide an embracing loop, inwardly extending oppositely loeatedugripping shoulders, and projecting terminal hooks.

5. In a device of the class described formed of spring Wire,I the combination of a middle embracing loop portion, terminalhook portions, and vinwardly 4extending gripping shouldered portions between the loop portion and the hook portions.

6. A device for attaching tire chains to an automobile Wheel consisting of a Wire clamp adapted to embrace the Wheel and having side shouldered portions adapted to extend into the annular-channels at each sido of the VVwheel and outwardly projecting terminal WILLIAM E. WOODWELL.

I Witnesses I C. M. CLARKE, FREDK. STAUB. 

